The Sorting of Bellatrix Black
by Mrs.InsaneOne
Summary: A defining moment in the early life of Bellatrix Lestrange - one of Voldemort's most loyal, and most insane, Death Eaters. B. Lestrange, no pairings, no warnings. COMPLETE
1. Original Sorting

**Summary:** _There have been many debates on whether Bellatrix Lestrange was always an evil psychopath or if she developed her sadistic personality as she grew older and eventually lost what little sanity she had in Azkaban. I personally believe the entire family to be full of twisted and sick individuals that were born that way due to generations of inbreeding. Even Sirius had his issues if you think about it. _

_So, when I came across this challenge, I couldn't help but explore the depraved depths of Bella's mind at the tender age of eleven._ _This is, of course, a simple Fan-Fiction that I have written in response to a challenge posted by on the HPFF forums._

_The Challenge:_

_- MUST be a one-shot  
- you can pick Any CANON character, No OC's  
- Starts at the calling of name to character sitting at the table  
- any era  
- 12+ rating, 15+ if you can find a way to do that  
- *MOST IMPORTANT* You CANNOT change one characters House, it must be as it is in the book.  
- Deadline: July 10th  
- Title has to be The Sorting Of (character name here)  
- Oh lets make this harder, Only One person can do one character so you better pick quick so we'll try and get one of every body!_

**Disclaimer:** _ALL HP characters are the property of JKR, the WB, and the respective publishing companies. _

**AN:** _Originally posted as a one chapter fic on HPFF, I have since added a second chapter that is a rewrite of the original in order to make it more compliant with Canon. That said, it can still be considered AU given that I've tweaked Bella's age a touch in order to have her in her final year when Sirius starts his first_. – **Jenn

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**The Sorting of Bellatrix Black  
(Original Version)**

The diminutive blonde girl slipped off of the chair and set the hat down with a huge smile before trotting off to sit at the Ravenclaw table with her new housemates. Behind her, Professor McGonagall lifted the roll of parchment on which the names of the First Years were written in alphabetical order, and called out the name of the next child to be sorted.

"Black, Bellatrix,"

From the back of the gathered eleven and twelve year olds, a tall, thin girl pushed her way roughly through her peers to the front of the hall where McGonagall stood waiting. Her long, thick, black hair fluttered around her head and shoulders like a halo as she trotted up to the stool on which the Sorting Hat sat waiting for her. Bellatrix stopped beside the stool and took a moment to glare out at the older students that were staring avidly at her before sneering down at the rest of the nervous first years that were waiting their turn to be sorted. Her haughty expression giving silent testimony to the feelings she harbored about the worthiness of her peers.

Bellatrix then reached up and pulled her hair out of her face with one as she turned to inspect the Sorting Hat fort eh first time. Scowling down at the old, tattered, and obviously filthy appearance of the thing, she curled her lips back in disgust before gingerly picking it up and placing it on her head as she sat down to be sorted.

_So, another Black has come to Hogwarts_, the hat whispered in her ear.

Bellatrix flinched and scowled at the inside rim of the hat – as the hat covered her face nearly to her chin. A fact that made her grimace distastefully even as the voice filled her with fears and doubts.

_Touchy and proud,_ the hat continued. _Just like the rest of your family has been in their time, even your cousin, Sirius -_

"_Don't speak to me of that traitor!_" Bellatrix hissed indignantly, her voice just barely audible to those who were silently watching her be sorted, as she jerked back and reached up to grab the rim of the hat in her hands – a sudden desire to throw the hat across the room flooding through her. "_I am nothing like that traitorous pig!_"

_No, I can see that now,_ the hat agreed after a long pause. _Cunning and sly, you are loyal to none. Your friends will count themselves lucky to escape your wrath and your hunger for adulation and power speaks loudly enough. Though, your hatred of what you can not understand will consume you endlessly._

Bellatrix growled under her breath, growing impatient with the nonsensical babbling of the hat – she knew where she belonged, even if the hat did not. "_Just put me in Slytherin where I belong and be done with it,_" Bella ordered disdainfully as she once again began lifting the hat from her head with the intent to destroy it.

_So be it…_ the hat agreed, softly, in a voice that seemed to be filled with regret. _You could have been great, but since you wish to follow in the footsteps of those that have come before you, I shall give you what you think you want. I leave your fate in your hands and shall give you to_… "**SLYTHERIN**"

The last word echoed through the Great Hall as Bellatrix tore the hat from her head and slammed it back down on the stool. Her face wearing a triumphant sneer as a few scattered applauses greeted her successful sorting. She ignored the frightened looks that her fellow classmate gave her as she stalked away from the stool and headed towards the Slytherin table.

As she passed the Gryffindor table, she happened to catch the gaze of a young boy, a year or two older then herself, his gray eyes watching her intently. Bellatrix jerked her eyes away and lifted her chin higher as she took a seat between two older boys that looked very much alike – the two of them obviously brothers. She would have nothing to do with her back-stabbing cousin, Sirius; he was a disgrace to the name of Black, a stain upon the otherwise prestigious family name.

And yet, in the back of her mind she couldn't help but wonder why Sirius had seemed so sad when he gazed at her. Why should he feel sorry for her? She was where she belonged – he was the one who had messed up, not her. Pushing aside her curiosity, Bellatrix focused on the rest of the students being sorted – searching among those that remained for one that could be worthy of her friendship, if he or she was placed in the proper house. Forgotten were Sirius's sadness and the hat's regrets.


	2. Canonized Sorting

**Summary:** _There have been many debates on whether Bellatrix Lestrange was always an evil psychopath or if she developed her sadistic personality as she grew older and eventually lost what little sanity she had in Azkaban. I personally believe the entire family to be full of twisted and sick individuals that were born that way due to generations of inbreeding. Even Sirius had his issues if you think about it. _

_So, when I came across this challenge, I couldn't help but explore the depraved depths of Bella's mind at the tender age of eleven._ _This is, of course, a simple Fan-Fiction that I have written in response to a challenge posted by on the HPFF forums._

_See summary of first chapter for challenge details..._

**Disclaimer:** _ALL HP characters are the property of JKR, the WB, and the respective publishing companies. _

**AN:** _Originally posted as a one chapter fic on HPFF, I have since added a second chapter that is a rewrite of the original in order to make it more compliant with Canon. That said, it can still be considered AU given that I've tweaked Bella's age a touch in order to have her in her final year when Sirius starts his first_. – **Jenn

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**

**The Sorting of Bellatrix Black  
(Canonized Version)**

The diminutive blonde girl slipped off of the chair and set the hat down with a huge smile before trotting off to sit at the Ravenclaw table with her new housemates. Behind her, Professor McGonagall lifted the roll of parchment on which the names of the First Years were written in alphabetical order, and called out the name of the next child to be sorted.

"Black, Sirius,"

From the back of the gathered eleven and twelve year olds, a tall, thin boy pushed his way roughly through his peers to the front of the hall where McGonagall stood waiting. His somewhat longish, black hair fluttered around his head and shoulders like a halo as he trotted up to the stool on which the Sorting Hat sat waiting for him. Sirius stopped beside the stool and took a moment to glare defiantly out at the older students that were staring avidly at him before smirking down at the rest of the nervous first years that were waiting their turn to be sorted.

Over at the Slytherin table, Bellatrix Black, a seventh year prefect and Sirius's older cousin, shushed a couple of sixth years sitting beside her as she avidly watched Sirius drop the hat onto his head. Expecting the boy to join her any second, as all proper purebloods from the Ancient and Noble house of Black were always sorted into Slytherin, she allowed her thoughts to drift back to her own sorting seven years prior.

**

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The moment her name had been called, Bellatrix Black had haughtily pushed her way through the teeming throng of nervous First Years. When she stopped in front of the stool, she reached up and pulled her hair out of her face with one hand as she inspected the Sorting Hat for the first time. Scowling down at the old, tattered, and obviously filthy appearance of the thing, she curled her lips back in disgust before gingerly picking it up and placing it on her head as she sat down to be sorted.

_So, another Black has come to Hogwarts,_ the hat whispered in her ear.

Bellatrix flinched and scowled at the inside rim of the hat – as the hat covered her face nearly to her chin – a fact that made her grimace distastefully even as the voice filled her with fears and doubts.

_Touchy and proud,_ the hat continued. _Just like the rest of your family has been in their time, even your sister, Androm -_"

"_Don't speak to me of that traitor!_" Bellatrix hissed indignantly, her voice just barely audible to those who were silently watching her be sorted, as she jerked back and reached up to grab the rim of the hat in her hands – a sudden desire to throw the hat across the room flooding through her. "I am nothing like that traitorous wench!"

_No, I can see that now,_ the hat agreed after a long pause. _Cunning and sly, you are loyal to none. Your friends will count themselves lucky to escape your wrath and your hunger for adulation and power speaks loudly enough. Though, your hatred of what you can not understand will consume you endlessly._

Bellatrix growled under her breath, growing impatient with the nonsensical babbling of the hat – she knew where she belonged, even if the hat did not. "Just put me in Slytherin where I belong and be done with it," Bella ordered disdainfully as she once again began lifting the hat from her head with the intent to destroy it.

_So be it…_ the hat agreed, softly, in a voice that seemed to be filled with regret. _You could have been great, but since you wish to follow in the footsteps of those that have come before you, I shall give you what you think you want. I leave your fate in your hands and shall give you to_… "**SLYTHERIN.**"

The last word echoed through the Great Hall as Bellatrix tore the hat from her head and slammed it back down on the stool. Her face wearing a triumphant sneer as a few scattered applauses greeted her successful sorting. She ignored the frightened looks that her fellow classmate gave her as she stalked away from the stool and headed towards the Slytherin table.

She gave a brief glance towards the Ravenclaw table, where she to catch the gaze of a young girl, a three or four years older then herself, her gray eyes watching her intently. Bellatrix jerked her eyes away and lifted her chin higher as she took a seat between two older boys that looked very much alike – the two of them obviously brothers. She would have nothing to do with her back-stabbing sister, Andromeda; she was a disgrace to the name of Black, allowing herself to be sorted into an inferior house and consorting with Blood Traitors and Mudbloods.

And yet, in the back of her mind she couldn't help but wonder why Andromeda had seemed so sad when she gazed at her. Why should she feel sorry for her? She was where she belonged – she was the one who had messed up, not her. Pushing aside her curiosity, Bellatrix focused on the rest of the students being sorted – searching among those that remained for one that could be worthy of her friendship, if he or she was placed in the proper house. Forgotten were Andromeda's sadness and the hat's regrets.

**

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**

Bellatrix pulled herself sharply back into the present as a single word echoed through the now dead silence that filled the Great Hall.

"**GRYFFINDOR!**"

At first, she believed she'd missed seeing her young cousin sorted into Slytherin where he belonged, but it soon became clear that it was Sirius who had just been sorted into Gryffindor. Disbelief flooded her mind as she stood up and shouted, "_Impossible!_ It's got to be a mistake or a bloody prank!"

Her cry set off a chain reaction, students from all of the tables calling out for the hat to resort a very embarrassed, frustrated, and – if looks were to be believed – an inordinately pleased Sirius Black.

"_No!_"

Shocked into silence by the defiant shout, everyone turned to face the front of the hall as a proud young boy walked away from the Sorting Hat and determinedly took a seat at the Gryffindor table. Older Gryffindors made it a point to move away from the child, clearly not interested in associating with him, and the younger years just gazed at him in fear. Bellatrix just stepped over the bench she'd been sitting at, intent on physically dragging her disobedient cousin to his proper place, when Headmaster Dumbledore ordered everyone to resume his or her seats so that the Sorting could continue.

Silently fuming, Bellatrix glared at Sirius for the rest of the night, barely touching her food. The moment they were dismissed, she fought her way towards the first year Gryffindors, only to lose them in the crowds. She didn't even spare an insult to the third year Hufflepuff that knocked into on his way out the door. Angry and still shocked at the horrible turn of events, Bellatrix stormed out of the Great Hall towards the dungeons, intent on contacting her Aunt immediately to inform her of Sirius's deflection. Certain that Aunt Walburga would convince Dumbledore to resort the miscreant, Bella began walking faster, determined to see to that no other Black would taint the family name in the same way as her sister.

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*** * * THE END * * *

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End file.
